


limelight (i want to stay)

by oopshidaisy



Category: Interview With the Vampire (1994), Vampire Chronicles - Anne Rice
Genre: Domestic, Gen, Missing Scene, POV First Person, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-12-26 21:29:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18290597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oopshidaisy/pseuds/oopshidaisy
Summary: Claudia demonstrates a new power.





	limelight (i want to stay)

**Author's Note:**

> written for a uni assignment (yes, this is the second time i've submitted fanfiction academically) regarding a "new vampire power." mostly based on the film's canon, with bits borrowed from the books here and there
> 
> title from 'primadonna' by marina

As an older vampire than my two companions, it was inevitable that my Dark Gift would be stronger than theirs, with powers they could only imagine. It irritated Louis to no end, whenever I demonstrated a power that was beyond his own ability. He could have put an end to his frustration, of course, had he deigned to drink my blood after that first time, but his stubbornness was an unfortunate remnant of his human life.

It was surprising, therefore, when Claudia displayed a skill which had not yet manifested in either Louis or myself.

Back in those days, Louis was alternately hot and cool with me. He’d steadfastly ignore me for weeks, communicating only with Claudia and hunting alone; then, a seeming guilt would engulf him and he’d become downright affectionate with both of us. The one time I demanded he explain himself, he mumbled something about imitating a real parental relationship for Claudia’s benefit, which made me laugh so hard that the cycle started all over again.

It was during one of those periods of warmth that Claudia’s particular talent was revealed to us. Louis and I would perform Shakespeare for her amusement, on the days when his ire was exceptionally diminished; Louis, naturally, was drawn to tragedies, whereas Claudia and I loved the comedies. It was on one such night, when I was in the middle of reciting Hamlet’s most famous speech, that I began to hear a curious echo of my own voice. The sensation was jarring enough that I slipped out of character, although my phantom voice continued without faltering. Louis, too, seemed taken aback – but, as in every situation in which he sensed danger, his first instinct was to look to Claudia. I, belatedly, did the same.

Her lips were moving, although the sound issuing from between them was indistinguishable from my own voice.

“Claudia…” Louis said. His brows were furrowed, the expression in his eyes as mysterious to me as ever. My presumption was that his prevailing emotion was concern for our daughter; mine – and let it never be said that I am proud of this particular facet of my personality – was jealousy. That she might be able to do something which was beyond my own ability was intolerably galling.

“Yes, Father?” Claudia said, her voice returning to its natural, childlike tenor. Louis – like any vampire – had no need to breathe; I heard his relieved outtake of breath all the same. He was always closer to human than monster, unlike Claudia and me.

“Would you be able to do what you just did with Lestat’s voice, with mine?” he asked.

Claudia blinked up at him. When she looked at Louis, Claudia was every inch the child we’d ripped from the corpse of her mother: innocent, adoring, round blue eyes and cascading blonde ringlets. She never revealed the side of herself that I saw to Louis; he never hunted with her. Even when I imagine the scene where she announced her plans to kill me to Louis, I imagine her eyes still wide and beseeching, wrapping a strand of his long hair around her fingers.

But I am getting ahead of myself.

Her eyes slid from Louis’ to mine, and perhaps it was imagined, but I saw them hardening. Her smile became a tease as she repeated words she must have heard very often, in a flawless imitation of Louis’ voice: “Lestat, you’re a perfect fool,” she smiled, unblinking. Her next words had never actually passed Louis’ lips in my earshot, although they may as well have. She, gleefully, twisted the knife. “If it weren’t for Claudia I would leave you, and be all the happier for it.”

My body was all but invulnerable to pain, so the ache in my chest must have been a mere phantom. I forced myself not to visibly react.

“That’s a clever little trick, Claudia,” I said.

I felt Louis’ long fingers encircle my wrist before I even realized I was about to leave the room. He was one step ahead of me, as always. “Have you seen anything like this before?” he murmured, although we both knew Claudia could hear him as clearly as if he was speaking full volume.

“No,” I replied, flippant. “The Dark Gift is different for everyone, as you know. One of these days, you’ll learn to do something exciting.”

“Like reading minds?” He never trusted me about that one.

“Or becoming a parrot,” I said, glancing back at Claudia. “Both equally impressive, of course.”

“You’ll never get this power,” said Claudia sweetly. “You like the sound of your own voice too much.”

**Author's Note:**

> can you believe this got 9/10 marks
> 
> twitter: [@davidfinchher](https://twitter.com/davidfinchher)  
> 


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